One
by EleanoraGrace
Summary: for the fan fiction chllenge "One Year Later" I giver you One. This shows Minervaa,One year later after the final battle and how she reflects on everything. Prompt: Memories/Reflection. Pairing: ADMM


_**A/N I still own nothing**_

_One, that word was Minerva's life._

_One Life, _

_One Love, _

_One Death,_

_One Boy,_

_One year later._

"Minerva!" a voice rang out happily as she stepped foot into the burrow for the first time in long time. Earlier that week she had gotten an invitation to meet up with the old order and celebrate a one year of Voldemort's defeat.

"Hello Molly." Minerva gave a small smile. She looked around and saw many familiar faces, Arthur, George, Percy, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Kingsley, Hagrid, Charlie, Fleur holding baby Teddy Lupin and talking to Percy, then Bill, and she smiled even a bit more as she saw Harry, her Harry. The boy who prevailed and saved us, the one who had gone through so much pain and hurt, but now, he was smiling brightly and holding Ginny's hand. _Ah, of course._ Minerva gave a soft laugh.

"Sit, sit." Molly bustled around and Minerva noticed that she had lost a considerable amount of weight. Fred, the one Weasley who didn't make it through the battle. Her heart got heavy once more. Well, Molly wasn't the only one; Minerva had become much smaller and more fragile.

Harry looked away from the conversation he was having with Bill and turned around and smiled at Minerva. He got up and gave her a hug.

"Harry," She whispered in his ear as she hugged him back.

"I haven't seen you since last year!" He exclaimed as he slowly pulled away.

"I've been busy." She smiled. Harry looked so grown-up, even more than last year, he looked content and care-free. "You look so happy, I am so proud of you Harry."

He beamed, "Thanks, I'm the happiest guy alive." Harry said as Ginny came over. He slid his arm around her waist and held her close.

Minerva smiled at him and walked past to sit in a chair. She was greeted by another familiar face. "Oof!" she said as she was brought into a tight hug by Hermione Granger.

"Minerva!" She said happily. "It's so good to see you!"

Minerva gave a soft laugh, "It's nice to see you too Hermione." She said as she patted her on the back.

Hermione broke away and looked Minerva up and down. "Have you been eating?" She asked softly.

Hermione had apparently noticed the change in Minerva's frame. "I've been eating Miss Granger!" She said sternly, but behind her exterior, she was hurting inside. Hurting so badly, the wound she thought had healed broke open again.

Hermione looked at her just as sternly, "You haven't been the same since Professor Dumbledore's death."

Minerva started to get tears in her eyes, she bit her lip and looked away from her. Albus, her one love. Her rock, support, and light. She shut her eyes tight and looked back on the first time he said those three magical words.

"_Minerva," Albus held her tight and close to him. "It's alright Harry will be fine, I promise." _

_She shook with sobs in his arms, "Bu-Bu-but James and Lilly." Minerva said shaking with tears._

_He ran his fingers through her hair and whispered softly in her ear, "They are together and not in pain. Their love won't end and they shall never be apart."_

_The feeling of his fingers in her hair clamed her down and her heart went into a flutter. She had admired Albus for such a long time and wanted so badly to be held by him at night. This though, it couldn't be the same sort of affection, she was his friend and friends comfort friends. "I know, but then Harry will be alone." _

"_Min, we'll see him soon. I Promise," he said, wiping the tears off her cheek. Suddenly, he leaned in close and placed his warm lips against hers. _

_She was surprised, but welcomed the kiss. She placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him back. _

_Albus broke away softly, "Minerva, I love you. I love you so much."_

_Tears formed in her eyes once again, and she smiled, "I love you too, Albus."_

_A smile broke across his face and he scooped it up and kissed her deep into the night._

"Minerva? Minerva!?" Hermione said shaking her lightly.

"What?" She asked fast opening her eyes and looking around.

Hermione looked very worried, "You just went unresponsive for the last 3 minutes."

Minerva placed a hand to her forehead. "Oh, I'm sorry I had a flash back." She said her voice said trailing off.

Hermione sank to her knees in front of her, "Minerva, were you- um, well did you- were you in love with professor Dumbledore?" she asked trying to get it out fast.

She looked at the young women in front of her, "I was, and I still am Miss Granger."

Hermione looked sadly at her and was a bit speechless. "I'm-I'm sorry. I really am."

"It's alright." She said in a small voice.

"Dinner!" Molly's voice rang out through the room. Everyone got up and crowded around the table and began to dig in.

Minerva sat there and watched everyone eat and had no appetite for herself. Hermione was sitting about 5 seats away from her and eyeing Minerva.

Conscious of Hermione watching her, she picked up her fork and slowly started eating the mashed potatoes. At first she felt as thought she would throw up eating it, but she continued to force the food down. 10 minutes later, Minerva had finished the potatoes, she was full and there was no way she could eat the rest.

She looked around the table and everyone was in conversation except her. She spotted three empty chairs, food on the plates, but no one occupying them. This puzzled her, why would Molly spare these extra places.

She tapped George's shoulder, who was sitting next to her.

"Wha- Oh, Hey Professor, whatcha need?" He asked smiling at her.

She smiled back, "I was wondering why there are three open spots, are you expecting more people?"

A shadow came over George's face, "They're for Tonks, Remus, and Fred." He finished with a sad face.

Minerva wasn't sure how to respond to that."Oh," is all she said. "I need to be heading out." She stood up and the casual chatter from the table died abruptly, everyone looked up at her confused.

"Thank you for the lovely dinner Molly. But I must be off," Minerva gathered her cloak, and walked out the door.

She was almost to the fence to cross when she heard her name being called out. "Minerva! Professor!"

She turned around to see Hermione running towards her.

Hermione reached her and gave her one last hug. "Dumbledore would've wanted you to be happy," She whispered into her ear.

"It was nice seeing you again Hermione," Minerva turned on her heels and apperated out of there to the Hog's Head.

"'ey, Min." Aberforth greeted her.

"Hello Aberforth." Minerva said smiling. _Min_, Albus, her family, Poppy, and Romilda and Aberforth were the only ones who dared call her that. She shut her eyes and a scene that played 8 years ago.

"_I told you he would be back soon." A soft strong voice said behind her. She felt the arms of albus Dumbledore around her waist and his head on her shoulder._

_Minerva smiled brightly and turned around. "Hello love." She said sweetly and wrapped her arms around his waist._

"_Hello Min," He smiled and kissed her forehead. "See, I kept my promise about Harry returning."_

"_I never doubted you," She laughed, "and for the last time Albus Dumbledore! My name is Minerva, not Min!" She snapped with a playful tone._

"_Oh," He said with a mock sad tone, "but Min fits you so perfectly. "Short, Snappy, and easier to say fast." He gave a mischievous smile._

"_My Name is Minerva, Albus." She said poking him in his chest._

_Albus grabbed her hand, "That was a bad move Min." He said smiling. Albus picked her up and slung her over his shoulders. _

"_Albus!" She screamed. "Put me down!" She said trying to get out of his grip._

"_Nope!" He said smiling to himself. He walked down the hallway passing two seventh year students._

"_Albus!" Minerva squealed seeing the two students. "I'm fine put me down!" She said forming a lie in explanation of the headmaster carrying his deputy._

"_No Minerva, that Ankle of yours looks seriously hurt!" She said with a chuckle and made his way up to his office. _

_They finally got to Albus's study; he went in and placed her on a couch. She folded her arms and looked away trying to look angry. _

_She felt the warm soft hands of Albus's pulling apart her arms and cupping her face."I love you Minerva." He kissed her forehead. "I love you Min." He kissed her nose. "I love you Minerva." He kissed her on the lips and deepened the kiss ever so slowly._

"Min?" Aberforth had sat down next to her with worry etched on his face. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him a bit confused. Then it hit her, _the flashback_. "I was thinking . . . about Albus." She said in a soft voice

Aberforth sighed, "Min, He would've wanted you to enjoy life even with out him."

"I know, I know." She said softly. "I was doing very well."

He raised an eyebrow, "What happened?"

"I don't know." She said softly looking into his eyes. "I was at Molly's tonight and than they had set up three extra places for Fred, Tonks, and Remus and than something hit me. Flashbacks clouded my mind and I need him." Minerva whispered. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and she put her hand to her mouth trying to keep the sobs of grief inside of her. She hadn't allowed herself to cry since the night of Albus's death, she couldn't give in now.

Aberforth wrapped his arms around Minerva tight. "Min, shhh, it's alright" He said softly in his gruff voice.

It took her only a few moments to collect herself again and she looked at Aberforth, "I need to get back to the castle. Good night." She stood up and left, heading up to the castle.

She entered her study around eleven o'clock and sighed. She never thought of this as hers, it was and will always be Albus's. She slouched on to the couch and curled up into a tight ball and let the cries that she had been holding back for a long time escape her. This couch, this was the last place she had been with Albus. She shut her eyes tight wanting to relive the memory.

"_Minerva, I need to tell you something." Albus said in a serious tone._

_She looked over to Albus's desk where he was sitting at and watched him carefully, her heart beating fast, nervous for what he was going to tell her. "What?"_

_He got up and walked over to the couch and sat down next to her."Give me your hand." He said softly._

_She looked at him worried, "Albus, what's going on?"_

"_Just give me your hand Minerva." He said in a stern but soft voice._

_She held out her thin hands and gasped as Albus pulled out a ring box. He opened it and slid a ruby ring onto herring finger. "Albus," She whispered exasperated._

"_Minerva, I know that we have talked about marriage and such and decided against it, so I got you this ring. I need you to now that I love you so much and nothing will ever change, no matter what happens to me, to you, or both of us. You are mine and I am yours. You have filled my days with such joy and happiness, and I cannot express my love for you in anyway." Than he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply._

_Something felt wrong in Minerva, it sounded like Albus was going to die and she couldn't figure out why. She slowly broke away and looked into his eyes, "What is wrong?" She asked out of breath. _

_Albus looked as if he was struggling on what he should tell her. "I am going out with Harry tonight and we might not be back for a while and I just want you to know I love you."_

_Minerva felt saddened, she hated when he left, she felt so alone and vulnerable. She cuddled closer to him, "I'll miss you."_

_He pulled her on to his lap and held her close, "I will miss you more than you know."_

_She laid her head on his shoulder and a tear fell. "Do you have to go?" She asked softly._

_Albus kissed her forehead, "I'm afraid I do. Minerva, tell me on last time you love me." He whispered into her ear._

"_Albus, I Love you. You are my sky, my sun, my moon, my stars, you are my everything. I will love you through happiness, and sadness, lightness and dark. I love you Albus Dumbledore and we will be together in each others arms soon." _

Her eyes remained tightly shut and she held back even more tears. She would give anything to one more day, or even a single hour more with Albus, but she knew it was high time that she forgot about him and went on with her life. Minerva could never get over him though, but she should learn to accept the fact he's gone and she should move on with life.

She heard rustling around in the room and than felt a warm hand placed softly on her back. "I hate seeing you like this Minerva." A lost familiar voice breathed into her ear.

Her heart stopped, _It-It couldn't be…. He's dead._ She held her breath and listened to see if it was real, if it was his hand on her back, his voice whispering in her ear.

"Minerva! Get up! I can't stand seeing you so dead." The voice said firmly with a frustrated tone.

"_Dead, you hate seeing me dead_?"Minerva said in a deadly tone. It didn't matter anymore if he was there or not, he pushed the wrong button. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DIED! YOU ARE THE ONE I HAD TO LIVE WITH OUT AND YOU HATE SEEING ME DEAD!?"

A small twinkle appeared in the old man's eyes and he gave a soft chuckle, "There's my Minerva."

"YOU MISTER DUMBLEDORE GO OFF AND LEAVE ME HERE ALONE WITH OUT ANYONE TO HOLD ME THROUGH THE NIGHT JUST TO SAVE THE WIZARDING WORLD!" Minerva continued on her rage. "I HAVE BEEN SO LONE-" Albus just put his finger to her lips and cut her off.

"Minerva, it hurt me so much to know I was leaving you, but please let us spend this time together with out being angry." He said as he softly caressed her cheek.

Minerva felt as if her tongue had been tied. "Albus, I've missed you." She flung her arms around his neck.

He sat up onto the couch and pulled her close to him and put his arm around her, "Now Min, tell me what I have missed while I've been gone." He pushed some of her hair out of her face and tucked them behind her ear.

Minerva smiled and went on deep into the night telling Albus about every day, every night, and every breath of her life since he has been gone.

But if, you were to look into that window that night, you would see an old, tired, frail woman, sitting on her couch and talking animatedly to thin air.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Minerva woke up the next morning and found herself on Albus's couch. She sat up and smiled, and new hope filled her, something happened, she _had_ seen Albus last night, not the flesh and bone one, but the Angel one, the one who was looking down on her from above, her guardian angel Albus. She looked down at the ruby ring that still resided on her finger and knew he was watching her all the time.

Smiling, she made her way to the bed room and got dressed and fixed her hair and made her way to the great hall where there was to be a celebration today. She was to say a speech, but no hope, or inspiration had filled her up to this point, but now, now she had something.

She entered the great hall and talked to Filius for a while before every student was settled in their spots. She stood up and smiled at them all. A hush filled the great hall and she began, "Today marks the year point of winning a battle against Voldemort. Today we remember those who died to save us. They would not want us to be living in sorrow, but rejoicing that we have a better life. Today is a day where we can remember them with smiles and laughter. Today, we look back and not cry at the moments we missed with them, but instead of the moments we had."

_One year later, one love remembered, for the one cause he died for. . . _


End file.
